TRIM & SMITH KICK-START SEASONS WITH WINS AT ‘THE CHUCKY’
Mitchell Trim doesn’t describe himself as an out-and-out ocean ski paddler, but like the rest of the field that lined up in The Chucky, he’s well aware of the legacy of Charles Stewart.
“Everyone who knew him speaks so highly of Chucky,” Trim says.
“I didn’t know him personally, but I know he was a lovely fella and a really important part of our paddling community and the Northern Beaches.
“I felt very honoured to stand up there and hold his trophy up. It’s awesome to be able to add my name to this.”
Trim and Jemma Smith walked away as the two big winners of the 2024 edition of The Chucky.
After two rounds of racing in Adelaide, the Shaw and Partners Australian Ocean Racing Series returned to the east coast, kick-starting the run towards the Shaw and Partners WA Race Week.
And paddlers were greeted by a perfect day for it.
Under blue skies and a temperature in the low 20’s, a 16 kilometre two-lap course was set stretching from Fisherman’s Beach to North Narrabeen and back.
A moderate nor-west wind meant the first half of the lap was somewhat tough going, but on the way back, there were runs to chase and an opportunity to break away from the pack.
But Trim wasn’t planning on waiting that long into the race to try and make a move. Instead, he laid down some early speed as soon as the starting gun fired.
“Harry Taurins and I took off and I felt like I was sitting pretty comfortable,” he recalls.
But when I looked behind me a couple of kilometres in and saw a few sitting right there on our wash.
“I sort of backed off and thought, ‘If I’m going to drag them, I may as well do it a little bit easier.”
That saw the lead pack settle as they headed towards the turn at North Narrabeen – but it was never going to be for long.
“As soon as I turned, I squeezed it up a little bit to try and open up a bit of a lead. And that’s what happened.”
While Trim broke clear of the rest of the men’s field, he wasn’t the leading boat on the course.
The women’s starting wave went off a few minutes earlier, and reigning Australian Ocean Racing Series champion Jemma Smith was in control from the outset.
“It was great to get back into racing,” Smith says.
“The last time I’d raced in my ocean ski was back in February at the Bridge to Beach, so it was exciting to be able to kick it off again, especially at home.
“I really wasn’t sure who was going to show up for the race, so for me, it was all about getting out there and seeing what I could lay down. I just wanted to test myself.
It was good to be on that triangle course too, so I could see where the men’s field was and try and hold them off for as long as I could. That was a bit of fun along the way.”
As it turned out, that point was exactly at the end of the first lap back at Fisherman’s Beach.
The reef that runs along that section of the coast sends waves and water in all directions – it’s a paddler’s dream.
After chasing one of those runs, Smith found herself on a slightly sharper line into the buoy.
Charging in on a wider line was Trim.
“We came together at really different angles going around that buoy,” Smith says.
“If I kept paddling, I would’ve t-boned him. I just had to stop and let him go because I knew there were a few guys chasing him not too far away.”
Trim can’t help but laugh as he recalls the moment.
“I paddle with Jemma every Thursday morning and I know how fast she’s going… so I thought I’d better try and cut her off,” he jokes.
“Nah, I was on a run at a bit of an angle and Jem was coming into the turn a little bit tighter.
“We sort of made a mess of it, but I certainly wasn’t going to be waiting because I knew there were quality paddlers coming for me.”
Leading that chase was the Central Coast’s Trent Martin.
Race-fit as always after a winter that saw him travel to the United States for the Gorge Downwind Championships, Smith knew he was her ticket for a rest on the headwind section of the course – and her ticket for plenty of pace.
“I just jumped on him and tried to hang on as long as I could,” she recalls.
“I think he was trying to shake me because he kept looking over his shoulder to see if I was still there,” she laughs.
“I wasn’t going to let him go into that headwind, it was too nice of a ride.”
Out in front, Trim was charging ahead.
The Northern Beaches local says he managed to find some assistance on the final stretch south, back to Fisherman’s, before starting to fatigue into the finish.
Even so, he wouldn’t be caught, winning The Chucky in a time of 1 hour, 13 minutes and 33 seconds.
That was 31 seconds ahead of the fast-finishing Dylan Askew (1:14:04). The Tasmanian-turned-Gold Coaster also claiming victory in the Under 23 division.
Trent Martin (1:14:16) was just 12 seconds back, while Harrison Taurins (1:14:51) and Spencer Richards (1:15:04) rounded out the top five male surfski paddlers.
“I’ve never won an ocean ski race, so to actually win one is quite special to me,” Trim says.
“It would’ve been special no matter what race it was, even if it was a backyard race, but to win The Chucky is such a great result for me.
“It’s not my full focus at this time of year, but it was nice to have a hit out on my local stretch, somewhere I’ve paddled so many kilometres in. I really enjoyed it.
“Surf lifesaving races are over in four minutes, while ocean ski racing goes anywhere from 55 minutes to an hour 50.
“I love paddling, I love racing and I love strategy. Ocean ski racing allows you to spend more time out on the water doing that.”
“Is it my forte, a long distance race? Probably not, but I find it compliments my spec ski paddling well.
“I really enjoy doing these races just for that longer racing and the challenge of concentrating the entire time.”
Smith’s first victory of the new season was a dominant win.
The Central Coast product, now based on the Northern Beaches, crossing in a time of 1 hour, 18 minutes and 3 seconds.
That was nine minutes ahead of Phoebe Savage (1:27:27), who picked up honours in the SLSA Spec Ski division, while Sasha Taurins (1:28:11) was third across the line, while also winning the Under 23’s.
Charlotte Ward (1:30:36) and junior ski category winner Tully Elliott (1:30:43) made up the top five female paddlers.
“To be able to see where I was at under a really heavy training block was really good,” Smith says.
“It was awesome to catch up with everyone again and see so many familiar faces. It was a great day.”
After three rounds of racing, it’s South Australian Francesca Kidd who sits on top of the women’s Shaw and Partners Australian Ocean Racing Series pointscore, having won the opening two rounds of action.
The men’s pointscore presents a cracking story, with Victorian Peter Bolton out in front.
The 64 year-old is the only competitor to have travelled to all three rounds – even though all three were interstate trips.
